Among network protocols is a protocol known as remote program load (RPL) protocol. RPL protocol, originally developed by IBM, allows workstations, such as Heathcliff workstations, to connect to a network and download an operating system from a remote server for configuration on the network. The workstation typically employs a boot ROM on a network adapter card that stores the necessary RPL protocol information, thus allowing the workstation to operate with the network. Thus, the RPL protocol facilitates the use of less expensive workstations on the network.
Although originally developed by IBM, various implementations of the RPL protocol have been developed by other companies for use with their network software, including Novell and Microsoft, two major network system software companies. The variations among these implementations create difficulties, since the workstations cannot blindly attach to a network, but must first identify existence of an appropriate server type on the network to correspond with the implementation addressed by the boot ROM in the workstation.
In prior network configurations, typically only one server of a particular type was available. As networks developed, more than one server existed on the network, but typically only one of each server type appeared on a single network. A block diagram example of such a network is illustrated in FIG. 1. A client workstation 10, such as a Heathcliff workstation, on a network having a plurality of servers, including a Novell server 12, an IBM server 14, and a Microsoft server 16, typically boots to a first available server of an appropriate type for connecting to the network and performing the remote program load. It should be appreciated that server type as used herein refers to the type of system software and thus RPL protocol in use by the server.
With the ability to connect to a network using a boot ROM configured for a particular server type, there was usually no need to identify which particular server was being selected for booting. Problems develop, however, in the continued use of these techniques with ever-growing network sizes. Currently, networks tend to have multiple servers of each particular type on a network. Merely booting from a first responding server of a particular type is not guaranteed to allow the workstation access to the network, since the server may not be configured for use with that particular client.
Further, for networks of multiple server types, the ability to connect with more than one server type is often preferable. Unfortunately, accommodating multiple server types normally requires separate network cards, each card having a boot ROM configured for use with each particular server type.
A need exists for a method and system for remote booting to a network with multiple servers of multiple types with a client using a single boot ROM.